


A Letter to Burrow

by kdsburneraccount



Category: National Football League RPF, Real Person Fiction, Sports RPF
Genre: Andy and A.J. Are Friends, Anything Else is Ambiguous, Canon Compliant, Flashbacks, Gen, Mostly Gen, Non-Linear Narrative, Parallels Were Attempted, There's a smidge of Relationship but nothing inappropriate, This Story just Exists, but idc, everyone is ooc, honestly this is just me rambling about the Bengals, i guess, it's not really happy but it's not really sad either, just kinda looking back at the past, too many flashbacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 07:14:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28845165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kdsburneraccount/pseuds/kdsburneraccount
Summary: Joe Burrow reads a letter from the quarterback that came before him.A bit of "Passing the Torch" for the Bengals quarterbacks.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Kudos: 7





	A Letter to Burrow

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, so I meant to post this the week of the Bengals-Cowboys game but I got lazy
> 
> Nevertheless, enjoy!

“What was he like?” Joe Burrow asked his backup, Ryan Finley, as they were warming up at practice.

“Hm?” Finley replied, looking up from his stretches. “Who’re you talking about?”

“You know,” Burrow gestured vaguely. “Him. The guy who was the starting quarterback before me.”

“Oh, you mean Andy Dalton, right?” Finley asked. “Red hair, former Bengals quarterback, current Cowboy?”

“Yeah.”

The backup nodded. “I didn’t know him as well as other people on the team, since I was a rookie last year, but he was a pretty great guy. He always had my back, even when he got benched for a few games and I had to start.”

“Oh, interesting,” Burrow said. “Why’d he get benched?”

“We were, well, pretty bad last year,” Finley admitted. “Of course, that’s why you’re on the team with us now. Andy didn’t do too well and Coach wanted to try something else, so I started for a bit.”

“Not the best debut, huh?” Burrow couldn’t help cracking a grin at that.

“A rookie quarterback drafted in the fourth round starting against the Baltimore Ravens?” Finley widened his eyes in mild horror. “And you saw how they were a few weeks ago.”

Joe shuddered at the flashback. That had been his worst game of the season so far, getting sacked constantly (at least more than usual) and being too rattled to make anything happen. They had almost been shut out, and Lamar Jackson, the reigning MVP, hadn’t even been playing particularly well. It was painful, but a reminder to Joe that he needed to improve.

“Yeah,” Burrow said after a moment. “That sucked.”

“Definitely,” Finley replied. “We only won two games last year, and if you were wondering, I didn’t start in any of those.”

“How many games did you even start?”

“Three… it wasn’t great.” Seeing Burrow’s expression, Finley slapped his back. “Cheer up man, you’re doing great under center.”

“Thanks,” Burrow said with a tight smile. “Losing isn’t fun though.”

“It never is,” Finley replied lightly. “You just have to take your lumps and continue.”

Joe personally didn’t like that line of thinking but nodded along.

“You could ask Boyd or Mixon about Dalton,” Finley continued. “Though I’d say Green would know the most since he and Andy came to Cincinnati as rookies at the same time.”

“Alright,” Burrow said. Green made sense; as a veteran, he would have the closest connection to the former Bengals quarterback, and thus the most knowledge.

Burrow had grown up being a Browns fan, but he had remembered seeing the Bengals making the playoffs when he was in middle school, only to inevitably lose. Dalton would make a mistake and the team would fall apart, leaving nothing but a bitter taste in the mouth of hopeful fans. In the one year they were closest to winning a game, he had been sidelined weeks before, leading to the Bengals’ fifth consecutive postseason loss… and their last appearance. 

Burrow hoped he could change that. But at the same time, it felt like the odds were stacked against him.

-.-

“How was Dalton?” Burrow asked Boyd and Mixon.

Joe Mixon, the running back, looked up from tying his shoes. “Andy? Man…”

“He was honestly one of the best dudes you could ever meet,” Tyler Boyd said. “He’s just a stand-up guy. Andy wasn’t the best QB, but he was ours, and he was a solid dude.”

“Man, he just-” Mixon paused for a bit, thinking. “Andy was the most humble dude starting at QB. No offense to you, Burrow, swag is cool. You guys just have different vibes.”

“I get that,” Burrow said.

“Honestly, when I was a rookie coming in, I wasn’t sure if people would be okay with me,” Mixon continued. “He just took me in and made me feel like I belonged. Did so much for me during the meetings and for the rest of this city off the field. We miss him sometimes, but you’ve been doing great, man.”

“He helped me out too. Don’t think I’d be who I was without him,” Boyd added. “We came in after the playoff berths, but he helped us have some moments. Like… that touchdown against the Ravens in December? That was great.”

“Aye, I remember that!” Mixon said. “Bro, that was super clutch! And we got the Bills into the playoffs.”

“But yeah,” Boyd stated, turning to Burrow. “You can count on me for one of those.”

“Thanks, man,” Burrow said. “Do you know where I can find Green?”

“Oh, Green?” Boyd looked around the locker room. “He’s probably outside already. Just curious, why were you asking about Dalton?”

“I was curious,” Burrow replied. And honestly, he was. Dalton had been the quarterback for nine seasons, being their leader until Burrow was drafted and replaced him. Burrow did want to know if he was any different or the same. Truth be told, Joe wasn’t familiar with the former Bengals quarterback. He had seen Dalton struggle in the playoffs but had never talked to him save for a short and impersonal message wishing the new quarterback luck. 

But it sounded like Dalton was a pretty nice guy, based on what Burrow had heard so far. He seemed to be helpful to his teammates and was at least decent enough to have the starting quarterback position for nine seasons.

“Well, good luck,” Mixon said. “I think you’ll be great though.”

-.-

A.J. Green was easy enough to find in the practice facility. He had been on his phone before Burrow approached him.

“Hey Joe,” Green said, seeing the rookie quarterback walking towards him. “What’s up? Is it about the routes?”

“No, not that,” Burrow replied. Despite some shakiness initially, he and Green had managed to connect on some passes better. Joe suspected it was because Green had become accustomed to a certain redhead throwing. “It’s about Dalton.”

“Andy? What about him?” Green asked. “Did something happen to him?”

“No, I was just wondering about him. What was he like?”

“I’m sure you’ve heard a lot from some of the other guys,” Green replied. “He really is one of the best guys you’ll ever meet. But he was a bit different from you, mostly in how he carried himself. Andy was all smiles and cheer, even in the worst times, and came in through different circumstances. You know Carson Palmer, right?”

“Kind of?” Burrow said. “His brother helped me train for the draft.”

He also remembered how Palmer had warned him to not go to Cincinnati but decided not to mention that. It was annoying, it was pessimistic, and Joe felt that Palmer had been scorned too much for that to be sound advice. Burrow preferred to block out that noise.

“Well anyways, Carson was the quarterback before Andy, and before the season started he threatened to retire unless they traded him. They didn’t, and instead, Andy had to start. Eventually, they traded him away, but those kinds of things linger. Andy and I were meant to be the replacements for Carson and Ocho. I guess you and Higgins are like that, too. It’s just a bit strange to still be here even after Andy left.” He said the last sentence pensively, trailing off at the last word.

Burrow nodded. He hadn’t quite felt the same passing connection he had with Green compared to Higgins.

“I do miss him sometimes,” Green stated simply. “You’re a bit more… assertive than he was, but you know, he and I grew up in the league together. You can’t just take that out and not miss the connection.”

There was a moment of silence before Green seemed to remember something. “Oh right! Andy wanted me to give you something.”

“What is it?” Burrow asked.

“It’s a letter,” Green replied. “I guess it’s quarterback stuff or something. I haven’t opened it, but it’s in my locker. You can come with me to pick it up.”

“Alright,” Burrow said. 

After a few minutes in the locker room, Green managed to find a box with the letter in it.

“Here,” he said, handing the box to Burrow. “Hopefully you enjoy reading it.”

“Thanks,” Burrow said, feeling a sense of apprehension at the box. It looked like a normal shoebox, but he wasn’t sure if the contents of it would scare him or not.

He considered for a moment before leaving what would be in the letter: a bit of congratulation, or maybe a thinly veiled plea to abandon Cincinnati as soon as possible.

There could be useful advice in this, Joe mused as he walked out of the facility.

-.-

Joe sat on his bed and opened the box.

Inside was an envelope that was plain white, but on the front was written: to Joe Burrow. The handwriting was a bit of a scrawl in blue pen, but with some loops on the capital letters.

Burrow carefully opened the envelope, which was surprisingly large, and saw multiple pages carefully stacked on top of each other. He pulled the top paper from the envelope and started reading the written text.

**_Dear Joe Burrow,_ **

**_Hey, this is Andy Dalton. First off, congratulations on being drafted! I know that you’ve come off one of the most accomplished seasons for a quarterback in college football history, and you deserve the honor of being drafted number one overall. We were teammates for a few days, though after you were drafted I was released from the team. I’m sorry for not reaching out sooner, and I hope that you’ll find this letter soon._ **

**  
  
**

_What the heck,_ Joe thought softly. _Why didn’t A.J. give me this letter sooner?_

**_I know that coming into the NFL as a rookie starting quarterback will have its challenges, even if you’re from the SEC. Trust me, I’ve been there, and especially without much offseason training, it will be stressful._ **

_No kidding_ , Joe thought as he continued looking at the letter. He had been sacked more times in a few games than he had ever been at LSU, had thrown more attempts in a single game than a quarterback (“Jimmy Garoppolo!” “Jimmy fucking Garoppolo!”) had in last year’s postseason run to the Super Bowl. He had lost two games in a row, which had never happened to him. It was definitely a season of firsts, but not a very fun series of firsts.

**_I came into the league in a similar situation to you. Down season, stepping into the starting position without much of an offseason with a fellow rookie at wide receiver._ **

“Welcome to the team,” an older man said as the redhead entered the building.

“Thank you,” Andy Dalton replied as he looked around. It was a nice building, though looking outside he could see there was no indoor practice facility near the football field.

“Like it?” the man replied. “You’ll be practicing there for the season.”

Dalton nodded. This season was a bit stranger than most. He had been drafted, but the amount of time in training camp would be less than usual because of the lockout. It didn’t help that he had to move all the way from Texas to Ohio, or that he had tied the knot with his college sweetheart just a few weeks ago.

It was a stressful time, to be sure, but a time Dalton hoped would lead to happier moments in his life.

“Don’t worry though,” the man added. “When it gets cold you’ll be practicing at the University of Cincinnati’s stadium.”

“Oh,” Dalton said quietly. All he really knew about Cincinnati was that apparently, the incumbent starting quarterback Carson Palmer had threatened to retire, so he was drafted by them in the second round.

He had already met A.J. Green, the fellow rookie meant to replace the great wide receiver, Chad Ochocinco. Green had seemed quiet and reserved, but with a slight sense of humor. Dalton could work with that. They were both pretty quiet.

Dalton walked into the main office room where the owners of the team were. An old bald man sitting in a chair got up and shook his hand.

“I’m Mike Brown, owner of the Cincinnati Bengals,” he said. “Welcome to the team, young man.”

“Thank you, sir,” Dalton said shortly.

“We brought you in here to play,” Mike Brown said, his voice creaky with age, “You’re not gonna sit on the bench, we’ll be winning games with you under center.”

Dalton could feel his heart pumping nervously as he nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Good,” the owner seemed satisfied by Dalton’s response. “You’ll likely be starting for next season. I wish you luck.”

There was an ominous tone in his voice that sent a chill down Dalton’s spine. He wasn’t quite sure why, but he decided to ignore the slight dissonance in the room.

“Thank you, sir,” Dalton said. “I hope I can win more games.”

“I’m sure you will,” Mike Brown replied stiffly. “We have high hopes.”

Dalton left the meeting hopeful, but also a bit uncomfortable about Mike Brown. He wondered what had happened for Carson Palmer to threaten retirement. It was probably because he was tired of losing. Which, Dalton supposed was understandable, but not something he would openly say to his team.

**_I remember wondering why I had to start, why Carson refused to play. I think your situation will be a bit different. You’re the guy, no questions asked._ **

He was traded.

Carson Palmer was gone.

Dalton wasn’t sure why, but a strange weight looming in the back of his head seemed to lift.

Palmer had never shown up to training camp, and Dalton had barely seen him outside of a few moments. Still, he had had the uncomfortable feeling that the starting job wouldn’t be his.

However, a 6-2 starting record had made sure that didn’t happen.

Palmer had been traded to the Raiders, all the way in Oakland. Dalton wouldn’t have to see him again until next year.

“You good?” Dalton looked up to see A.J. staring down at him with concern.

“Yeah,” he replied, getting up from where he was sitting. “I’m just… not quite sure what to think.”

“What is there to think? He never was around much,” Green stated. “It honestly doesn’t matter whether or not he’s here.”

“I know. I just wondered… why?” Dalton asked. “Why would he want to retire from playing?”

“I mean… I don’t blame him,” Green replied. “He got injured so many times and didn’t get far. I think he just wanted to leave. We’re the Bengals, and nobody truly thinks the Bengals are winning football.”

“That’s true,” Dalton stated. “Maybe we can change that.”

“Maybe,” Green conceded. “We were drafted for a reason. We gotta build on this start.”

“Yeah,” Dalton said as he was helped up. “By the end of our careers, let’s hope we stay Bengals together.”

**_I always wanted to be the one to lead the Bengals past a playoff game since the 90s, when Boomer Esiason did it. Carson had gotten them there but never won. In my first five seasons, I made the playoffs._ **

**_I never made it past that._ **

It was a few hours after the game.

Dalton hadn’t played, sustaining a thumb injury from the Steelers game back in Week 14. He could only watch as it fell apart and the Bengals committed penalties, leading to the Steelers winning by the skin of their teeth. AJ McCarron, his backup, had done his best, but it wasn’t enough.

It took him some time to process.

This was the 5th time in a row the Bengals had lost a playoff game, all with him.

Dalton tried to keep it together in front of his team but lost it as soon as he was home.

 _We should’ve won,_ he thought through the haze of tears. _We should’ve won._

At that moment, Dalton wondered if this was how Carson Palmer had felt all those years when he had been injured during the game against the Steelers, helpless to watch as everything else fell apart.

But Dalton knew he couldn’t have done anything; he had been injured before the game.

Still, at least Dalton knew he had one thing in common with Palmer: getting screwed over by the Steelers.

The phone rang. Dalton picked it up-it was Green.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I- I don’t know,” Dalton replied, his voice strangled from crying.

“It’s not your fault,” Green said consolingly. “God, we were so close to winning.”

“Why did Vontaze do that?” the quarterback asked. “Why the hell did he think that was okay? Why was that pass ruled a touchdown?”

“I don’t know,” Green admitted. “Things just didn’t go in our favor.”

Dalton let out a shaky breath. “We’ve won the division and made the playoffs, but we’ve never won… are we cursed?”

“I don’t know. Just… at the end of the day, everything will be fine. We have next year.”

“Maybe it will be next year,” Dalton said ruefully.

**_I never let it show, but it did get to me. It made me wonder if I wasn’t the guy if the organization was cursed._ **

**_It didn’t help when I saw how Carson was doing._ **

Dalton remembered the first time he had seen Carson Palmer after the trade.

It had been a year after the trade, in a game near the end of the season. It was against the Oakland Raiders, the team Palmer had been traded to. 

He could vividly recall how despite the crowd being relatively small, the boos thrown at Palmer resonated across the stadium as the former Bengal went to do the coin toss. People had even held up signs criticizing him.

As Palmer hugged a former teammate, Dalton couldn’t help but notice how tall Palmer was.

During the game, Dalton had played well, throwing three touchdowns for 210 yards, while Palmer had played his worst game of the year, throwing an interception and getting sacked four times.

After the Bengals had soundly defeated the Raiders, there had been the postgame exchanges.

“Stay healthy,” Dalton said politely, not sure what to say besides wishing him well. Injuries were tough, and Dalton knew they had derailed Palmer’s career. Maybe he could’ve been better.

“You too,” Palmer replied as they patted each other’s backs. “Good luck.”

The exchange was surprisingly short, and Dalton had slightly expected Palmer to say more. More about the organization, more about his personal struggles on the team, but Dalton supposed Palmer had wanted to keep it professional. Not that he blamed him. Dalton had expected to feel more resentment towards Palmer for what he did, but… he didn’t.

-.-

Dalton couldn’t help feel a twinge of spiteful joy seeing the Cardinals getting blown out by the Panthers.

He didn’t know he could feel it in himself to be spiteful.

 _Maybe I just hate Carson,_ Dalton thought as he watched the game from his TV. _Maybe I just want to know that the Bengals aren’t cursed, that it could just be us not being the best._

Dalton wanted that to be true.

**_I’ll admit, seeing him make it to the NFC Conference Championships and losing so badly gave me some spiteful happiness. It made me think that the Bengals weren’t the problem, that he was wrong. I was just not the guy, and that thought was strangely more acceptable to me. I knew that I wasn’t an amazing quarterback. I had my moments, but I was aware I wouldn’t be an all-time great. Heck, there’s even a line named after me for average franchise quarterbacks._ **

**_However, I did see the consequences of playoff failure. Booing at public events, media skepticism… that’s just outside noise I didn’t let get to me, but winning regular-season games can only appease the fans so much before the playoff losses eat away. But I think you already knew that._ **

**_I wrote this intending to give you advice, so I’ll do my best._ **

**_Much of the team that I played with last season will be the people you will play with. A.J. will be back, but other than that the offensive line will be about the same._ **

**_The team ended 2-14 last season, which was how you were drafted. Part of that had to do with my play, but that was also partially because the offensive line often did their best but couldn’t protect me._ **

**_The only suggestions I have are: have a quick release. Make your reads fast and pass before the defense can reach you. If you want to extend a play you can, but know when to go down so that you don’t get hurt._ **

Joe smiled a bit at that. He had experienced all too well getting the wind knocked out of him when he was trying to make a play. 

**_I would also suggest learning everything as fast as you possibly can. Again, there isn’t gonna be a preseason, so that would help. Just remember to worry about what you can control. You probably know this, but there’s always going to be opinions from the media and the fans. There will be criticism, some warranted, but always remember that the only thing that matters is what you can do. I’ve had my fair share, and I have no doubt that you’ll also get some. I’m sure you have a strong support system, so make sure to lean on that._ **

**_Regardless of you coming to the Bengals, I would’ve reached out. You've had such a legendary college career, and I knew the Bengals would have taken you._ **

****

It was Week 16. The Cincinnati Bengals had lost to the Miami Dolphins, clinching their position to take the first overall pick in the following year’s draft. ****

Dalton had the sinking feeling that he was going to be replaced by next season. The writing was on the wall: new coaches, a very down season, and a dreadful team. To top it all off, he had even gotten benched for a few games for a rookie quarterback drafted in the fourth round. ****

Which wouldn’t have been a problem, except at that point, it was too late to find a place he could be traded to. Dalton knew it would be a rough season, especially with Green out, but hadn’t anticipated only winning one game with one more game left in the season.

It was very bad, nearing their franchise-worst record in 2002.

2002…

“You really can’t win without me, can you?” A.J. mused as he walked towards Dalton.

“I guess I can’t,” Dalton replied in a tone of resignation. “We’re getting the first overall pick in the draft.”

A.J. whistled lowly. “Sheesh. When’s the last time we’ve drafted number one overall?”

“It was before us,” the red-haired quarterback stated. “I think it was 2002. You know, Carson?”

Green’s expression soured. “Oh, right.”

“There’s a bunch of talented quarterbacks in this year’s draft,” Dalton said. “It… I… I don’t know if I’ll be here next season.”

“You don’t know if they’ll bench next year’s rookie and let them learn under you?”

“They put me in right from the beginning,” Dalton answered curtly. “I feel like they think that works out better.”

“Fair enough,” Green said. “Do you want to go look at some prospects at your place after next week?”

“Sure, why not?” ****

-.- ****

At Dalton’s house, not much had been done.

The Bengals had won their second game of the season, against the Cleveland Browns. It was nice to end the season on a high note in an otherwise very low season, but now it was the offseason for the Bengals, and Dalton had no idea what would happen to him.

“I feel old,” Dalton said as he saw one quarterback scamper out of the pocket to get a touchdown.

“Hey, you’ve done that before,” Green replied with a grin. 

“Exactly, I don’t do that stuff anymore.”

“You run from the opposing defenses to not get sacked.”

“That’s different,” the quarterback retorted.

“Anyways,” A.J. said, ignoring the topic. “Who won the Heisman this year?”

“They’re out?”

“Yeah, a couple of weeks ago, don’t think I was able to check.”

Dalton took out his phone as he sat on the couch. “It’s a quarterback… Joe Burrow, from LSU.”

“LSU? They were a pretty good team when I was in Georgia,” Green noted. “Kinda surprised they’ve got a quarterback from there winning the Heisman this year.”

“I think he’s a senior. The Tigers are undefeated this season.”

“Makes sense,” A.J. conceded. “Just… senior quarterback, Heisman winner, Bengals picking first… sounds a bit like history repeating itself.”

“What’s his number?”

“Number 9. But Carson wore 3 outside of Cincy.”

“Well… I sure hope history doesn’t repeat itself. I don’t think anyone deserves that fate.”

“We’ll see what happens.”

**_I wish I could have stayed to see you play more, to help you out during a limited offseason, and to watch you grow as a player. Deep down though, I knew my time had come. It was like the organization had reset the cycle._ **

**_I think you’ll be in a good situation. The offensive line has its strengths and weaknesses-_ **

_So that was a lie,_ Joe thought wryly. He supposed that it was true the offensive line had its “strengths and weaknesses,” but Dalton was sugarcoating it a bit. They were probably trying their best, but he had been hit. A lot.

**_However, you’ll have a good receiver and running back core. Boyd is an underrated receiver and can make a lot of nice plays, Green will be back and hopefully back to how he was, and you have a fellow rookie in Tee Higgins to throw to. Mixon is also one of the top backs in the league, and Bernard is very reliable if you need some pressure taken off. He’s been around for a while and is a solid presence._ **

**_Then there’s your coach Zac Taylor. While I was on the team, I had a… decent relationship with him. I talked to him about games. I think he should help you a bit with the passing game, but it will take some time. He works best with quarterbacks, though I feel that other aspects of the game will be a work in progress._ **

Something about the wording of the letter reminded Burrow of the Dunlap incident when the veteran defensive end had demanded to leave the organization. He had been traded, and afterward, the Bengals had won convincingly against the Tennessee Titans, but that problem did leave Joe with some lingering thoughts. To Burrow, a coach that was able to hold all players accountable, regardless of age, was the best kind. He didn’t like discontent in the locker room, so it made sense to trade Dunlap, but at the same time, there were lingering thoughts Burrow couldn’t quite place.

Joe… liked Zac Taylor well enough. He was an alright play-caller and conversation was easy with him. Jim Turner, the offensive line coach, was a different story, but Burrow hoped things could improve.

Dalton first met Zac Taylor in a press conference.

He recalled the most striking thing about Taylor was his age. At the time, he was 35, and Dalton was 31. The age difference was almost insignificant, and it was definitely something different for Dalton, whose only coach at the time had been Marvin Lewis. For comparison’s sake, Big Ben was older than Zac Taylor and was still playing.

Dalton’s first impression of Taylor was thus, “He’s pretty young.”

A.J. scoffed. “That’s pretty much the trend these days. Lotta teams are hiring new, young coaches. They got Arizona and Green Bay, last year was San Francisco.”

“I guess that’s just how it is. Let me see what he’s done.”

Dalton peered at the resume. He saw that Taylor had been the assistant quarterbacks’ coach, and then the interim offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins for… five games. Then he was the offensive coordinator for the University of Cincinnati for a season.

 _There’s a connection there,_ Dalton thought.

The most recent job he had was… a quarterbacks coach for the Los Angeles Rams.

It… was a fairly small resume, with middling results. But it seemed to Dalton that Taylor understood quarterbacks fairly well, so he had the feeling that aspect would improve.

“Huh, he was a wide receivers coach,” Green noted. 

“Oh, I guess he was. That’s… interesting.”

“Do you miss Marvin already?”

“I… honestly don’t know. We’ve had him as a coach for so long, it’s hard to imagine him not being with us. I guess all we can do is hope that this year will be better than the last.”

“Yeah, that’s the expectation. I kind of wish he was still around, at least as a manager. It was good to be with him. But… the organization does what they think is best.”

There was an almost imperceptible tone of doubt.

“Hey guys,” a brown-haired man around Andy’s height said. “I’m Zac Taylor.”

“Nice to meet you,” Dalton said politely. “Andy Dalton, quarterback. That’s A.J. Green, wide receiver.”

Taylor smiled a bit. “Quarterback? I played a bit in college.”

“Really? Where’d you go?”

“I was in Wake Forest as a backup before going to Nebraska and starting for two years. Definitely an experience.”

“I can imagine. I went to TCU and started there as a redshirt freshman.”

“Well, that’s nice.” There was a lull of silence as they stood there. “You two seem to be the most important veterans of the team, so I’ll be sure to contact you more.”

“Thanks, take care,” Green said as their new head coach took leave. Dalton smiled a bit, feeling a bit of hope for the new season.

**_I’m not sure what else to say. I hope you can be the one to turn the Bengals around. Others have tried, with varying degrees of success. I know I have, though at times maybe not enough. I have heard of Carson being demanding towards the front office for improvement, while I was more complacent with how things were. At first, I never did quite understand why he would do that, but as time went on, I did know where he was coming from._ **

Green was injured during training camp, with torn ligaments in his ankle. He had been expected to miss only a few games, but as the season went on his return was looking less and less likely.

The first game, a close loss against the Seattle Seahawks, gave Dalton some optimism for the next few games.

Then the losses began to pile up. It wasn’t just that Green, Dalton’s favorite receiver, was out: the offensive line was bad, forcing him to run, the defense was bad… tensions were running high, and by the time the team had reached their bye week, they were 0-8.

He talked to Zac Taylor. Dalton came into his office, and they conversed, discussing games after losses. Sometimes, they just sat there in silence, exchanging unspoken words. It helped a bit, communicating with the new coach about the team’s problems, but the losses still came. And with those losses came the quarterback’s discontent.

 _What do they want?_ Dalton thought during the bye week. _Do they really want me around another year? My contract is expiring soon, but at this rate, it looks like I’ll be gone._

Dalton knew he could still play, but after the bye week the Bengals would face difficult opponents, and he had the feeling it would be an uphill battle to even win a game. At this rate, the team was headed towards a rebuild, and the thought set him on edge. The possibility that he would be benched, or even gone by the trade deadline. 

Then it happened.

“Yes?” Dalton said politely, walking into Zac Taylor’s office. It was his birthday, and even though the season had been difficult, at least he had had a pleasant celebration.

“There’s something I’m changing about the game plan for Sunday,” the coach stated.

“That is?”

“Ryan Finley will be starting against the Baltimore Ravens.”

“What?”

“I know you’re probably upset right now, I would be too if I were you. But right now, I want to think about the future of this team, especially with the draft, and I want to see how Ryan is. That’s all, none of this is your fault. The way this season has gone, you’ve done a good job keeping our team together, but I want to see how Ryan plays, especially since we’re coming out of a bye week.”

“Look-” the veteran stopped himself, taking a deep breath. “I’m not mad about being benched, I get that you want to try something new since we’ve been objectively bad. I don’t really agree with it, but you know what, it’s your choice. It’s just- why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“Well-”

“It’s what, three or four hours before the trade deadline? Do you honestly think my agent could find a deal by then? Did you guys even try to trade me? I haven’t even been able to talk to the front office about it!”

 _Not to mention, it’s my birthday,_ Dalton thought bitterly, but he decided not to verbalize that thought. His voice has raised to an unusual level, and as he took a deep breath, he could feel his exhales being shaky. Saying so would only add to the tension.

Zac Taylor seemed… distraught.

“A couple of people in the front office were on vacation in Switzerland.”

“What?” Dalton couldn’t exactly say he was surprised though. He was used to it, people in the front office being irresponsible. 

_No wonder they hadn’t done anything,_ he thought wryly. _Why have I just accepted this all my damn career?_

“I’m sorry for not telling you sooner. Please don’t take it out on Ryan.”

“I- I would never,” Dalton replied in exasperation. “You know it’s not like me to do that.”

“I know,” his coach stated simply. “I hope you’re not angry.”

“I’m just disappointed.” Which was a lie. Dalton was angry, but he knew it wouldn’t be prudent to say it out loud. He also felt incredibly betrayed, considering he had spent eight seasons on the team and was benched on his birthday. “I’ll go talk to the team.”

For a moment, as he walked outside, the quarterback had a recollection of the past.

 _Why do I put up with this?_ Dalton thought. _Maybe I should’ve been like Carson and asked out._

**_I think you can find a balance between those two thoughts._ **

**_Expectations will be high for you as the first overall pick. I didn’t quite have as much on my plate, coming out from TCU, but I think the SEC has prepared you. Just remember that it takes time for improvement to show, and you may not win very much in your rookie season, but that will happen. There is a reason the team got the first overall pick._ **

Joe grimaced looking at those words. Was all he was going to say just, “prepare for losing?” If so, he didn’t want it. He was going to take it all, no matter what, to get his team to win.

**_That sounds pessimistic, I know, but there are things to appreciate in Cincinnati. I’ve heard you’re from Ohio, so this must be like a homecoming. I came from Texas, so at first, it was strange to play in Ohio, but through thick and thin, I’ve given back to the city. In turn, they’ve helped me so much. Remember to give back to Cincinnati, and they will be there for you._ **

As soon as Joe Burrow was drafted, Andy Dalton knew his days were numbered.

Not that he was unaware previously, but the drafting of the LSU quarterback made the realization come crashing down.

He decided to take control of his own destiny.

“I want to be released,” Dalton told the front office.

“Hm,” was the only response from Mike Brown. Throughout the years, Dalton had known the owner of the Bengals to be cheap and to retain his people. It was part of why Marvin Lewis had stayed for such a long time. That and Mike Brown disliked change.

“You don’t want to stay and mentor Joe Burrow?”

Dalton smiled ruefully. “Remember when I was a rookie? I started, without anyone to mentor me. He’ll be better than I was back then… and besides, I don’t know if either of us would want to be in that situation. I want to play, he probably also wants to play… so the best thing to do is to let me go.”

 _Besides, he’s not under Marvin_ , he thought. _He’ll have all the opportunities I had as a rookie._

“Very well,” Mike Brown replied. “We’ll release you on Thursday then.”

“Thank you.” The words sounded so foreign to him, yet familiar. “I’ll never forget my time here. You and everyone else here have shaped who I’ve become.”

The owner gave Dalton a rare smile. It almost mirrored how they first met, and Dalton felt that it was almost reminiscent of how his predecessor had talked to Brown.

“One thing I’ve appreciated about you, Andy, is how well you’ve handled things throughout the years. You don’t quit, you don’t make outrageous demands. I hope Joe can be just like you in that regard.”

“Of course,” Dalton replied with a tight smile. “I’ll tell the team about my decision.”

 _I sure hope he doesn’t,_ he thought. _If he’s like me, he won’t be able to get what he needs to succeed._

_-.-_

“I’m going to be released,” Dalton said in a team meeting.

“Is the front office that cheap?” Green asked.

“It was a mutual decision. I wanted to leave to play, the team won’t have to pay me next year and they’ll have a quality quarterback for cheap.”

“I-I’ll miss you,” Joe Mixon said suddenly. “I don’t know how it’ll be like without you in the locker room.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’m sure you’ll have an amazing dude in Burrow. Give him time, he’ll be great.”

“Thank you,” Ryan Finley added. “For sticking by me after I was starting. You’ve taught me so much about being a quarterback at this level.”

“That’s what teammates are for, aren’t they?” Dalton smiled. He realized he would miss all this: the camaraderie between teammates, the feeling of being a captain in the locker room, being an established presence.

But at the same time, the team would need a change at the top, and he also needed to start fresh.

“I’ll miss all of you,” Dalton said after embracing his teammates. “Take good care of the rookies, I know you’ll love them.”

-.-

Dalton was at home. He considered what he would do after being released from the team.

The first thing would be to find a new team. He could still play, maybe not at peak levels, but he was at least serviceable.

Maybe he could be a bridge quarterback for a rebuilding team. Or a backup, which at this point in his career he didn’t hate the idea of. Being released by a team that found its new franchise quarterback would let him have a few options, though he would probably be paid less.

Dalton’s mind drifted to that new franchise quarterback. Joe Burrow… he recalled something about him transferring from OSU to LSU, which wasn’t common during Dalton’s college days, but it seemed more common as time passed. He wasn’t against it, but TCU hadn’t offered much competition for the starting QB spot.

Thinking back to his rookie year, Dalton couldn’t quite recall having a mentor figure. He didn’t get all that much advice, what with Palmer sitting out for a trade.

“I should probably give him some advice,” Dalton thought aloud. 

He had some paper around and gathered it. For Dalton, something like this would need handwriting, something with a personal touch. Maybe he was old fashioned, but typing and emailing a letter seemed too impersonal. Managing to find a pen, Dalton sat down. Surprisingly enough, the words came naturally to him.

“Dear Joe Burrow…” 

**_Last of all, good luck with the Bengals. I hope you do well! Who Dey!_ **

**_Sincerely,_ **

**_Andy Dalton_ **

“Huh,” was all Joe could say as soon as he finished the letter.

He wasn’t exactly sure how to feel. Andy seemed like a nice enough guy; he hadn’t told Joe to quit on the team, which was a contrast to media pundits everywhere. 

Dalton probably knew as well as anyone the experience of playing behind the Bengals o-line. If he could handle it, Joe could probably also deal with it.

It was a kind letter, and Burrow thought it reflected how his predecessor was towards the team: courteous, kind, maybe not the best, but it gave some hope. He seemed to be passing on the mantle of being the guy, which was… strangely reassuring.

Joe could see, in a way, Dalton’s impact on his team. Just how the veterans interacted with each other, and how loyal Boyd and Mixon were. 

_This sort of motivates me,_ Burrow thought. _I think things will get better._

The Bengals were going to be fresh off their bye week. He hoped they could play spoiler and surprise the NFL world.

-.-

It was a few hours after the Vikings game.

Andy Dalton rubbed his forehead as he finally managed to breathe and take a seat.

He had come back from three weeks of not playing football, first getting a concussion from Washington linebacker Jon Bostic, then contracting the coronavirus. He still hadn’t been able to taste or smell much after the coronavirus, but at least he could play. More concerning to Dalton was how he couldn’t remember the concussion.

All of that, however, was in the past. He had helped the Cowboys win a game, after a few tumultuous starts. Dalton hadn’t expected to play for them, considering that Dak Prescott had never missed a game before this season, but his freak injury had caused Dalton to move into the starting lineup.

He exhaled deeply, taking out his phone and seeing a notification from Twitter.

 _Wonder what it is,_ he thought absentmindedly as he opened Twitter. However, as soon as Dalton saw the tweet, his stomach dropped.

“Bengals QB Joe Burrow suffered a torn ACL based on the initial diagnosis, sources said. There may be additional damage. Burrow signaled it with his tweet, but the MRI confirming the injury would end his stellar rookie season.”

Dalton closed the news and decided to call his old friend on the team. 

“Hey A.J.,” he said carefully. “You guys… are you okay?”

“Congrats on the win,” Green replied ruefully. “I genuinely don’t know if we’ll win any more games this season.”

“Is Joe okay?” Dalton asked. “I checked the tweet and it says he’s going to be out for the season.”

“Physically, he’s not. Mentally, I think he’ll be fine. He’s tough, we both know he’s been through adversity. He’s a fighter.”

“That’s true.” Dalton couldn’t help but think about the injury. Pulling up a clip of it, he winced as he saw the young quarterback’s knee pop out as he was sandwiched by two defenders.

Coincidentally, it was against the Washington Football Team, the very team that had given him the concussion. While Dalton didn’t believe in coincidences, it was something a bit uncanny to ponder.

It made him feel a bit blessed for never getting an extreme leg injury with the Bengals, even when the team had started falling in the standings as each season went by. Somehow, the worst he had was a thumb injury, which led to a Wild Card collapse he didn’t play in, but it wasn’t career altering. However, the mention of an ACL injury made him think of another quarterback…

“Are you thinking about Carson?” Green asked.

“Yeah,” Dalton admitted. “There are just too many parallels that can’t be ignored.”

“Well… I get what you mean,” the wide receiver replied. “You know, I was looking forward to getting more chemistry with Joe, but that had to happen. The quarterback is now… Ryan Finley?”

“Yep, Ryan. How was he?”

“He completed 30 percent of his passes and got an interception. Kinda miss having you around right about now.”

Dalton laughed a bit at that. “I’m glad someone misses me, even if it’s you. Ryan… well, last year he started for a bit after Zac decided to bench me-”

Green made an irritated sound. “Don’t get me started on him. We only won two games last year, and this year we’ve only won two. The only difference is, we have a tie.”

“I mean, you guys have a few more games left. Maybe you could win one.”

“I don’t know, we only won two games with Joe, and from what I’ve seen from Ryan, he doesn’t seem like he’ll cut it.”

“I…” he trailed off, recalling all the wobbly passes he saw while benched. “Well, he only played three games last year, maybe he’ll improve.”

A sigh came from the other side. “Cut the crap, Andy, I know you’ve seen him more than me, how is he actually? Tell me the truth.”

“Fine. I think Ryan could be okay, but it seems like this year the offensive line isn’t giving him much opportunity. His arm is a bit suspect, so his passes don’t quite have the velocity, but with time he knows the right play to make.”

“Time isn’t really something the line can afford.”

“I know. It’s been like that for a bit.”

“I just hope he doesn’t also get injured, but at this rate, anything could happen. Did you hear what Taylor said?”

“No… he sounded a bit down about the situation, I assume?”

“Sure,” Green replied curtly. “He said the injury was unfortunate but something that would happen and said we gave him a good pocket. Which… we didn’t.”

“Yeah, that’s… not great.”

“How’s your line in Dallas?”

“Oh!” The veteran quarterback was a bit surprised at the change of subject. “I mean, they were pretty good today! It’s been a crazy three weeks, so I was just glad to be back.”

“Definitely feels like you guys have picked up from that concussion.”

“Yeah…” he trailed off. “I don’t really remember the hit.”

“What?”

“I remember sliding, but not much else. It’s surreal seeing the footage of me getting hit. I was… surprised by the fine, but it is what it is.”

“No kidding, I was surprised you could even get up and walk. It was bad. Can’t believe that nobody at least tired standing up for you.”

“It’s fine. We were all shaken, I don’t blame them.”

Dalton could tell his former wide receiver didn’t like that response. “Whatever you say, Andy. We would’ve fought him.”

“Thanks. Well, I can’t say Dallas has been bad for me. Didn’t expect to be starting but those things happen.”

“Wasn’t Dak on track to break the yardage record in a season? Hopefully, he gets better.”

“Yeah. Out for the season, just like Joe. Speaking of Joe, it seemed like he was doing well before that happened.”

“Joe was great. He and Tee were just like you and me in our rookie year. We had some chemistry issues, me coming back from last season’s injury, but not for lack of trying. It’s gonna be more difficult from here on out.”

“Well, it was definitely a bit difficult for me last season without you.”

“There’s a reason Joe came. You know, he’s quite a bit different from you. He’s got moxie, he’s tough-”

“Are you implying I’m none of those things?”

“No, it’s just y’all have different vibes. You’re always super nice and friendly, and I guess it feels like Joe just has a bit of an edge. He kinda welcomes that adversity and getting hit.”

“I see. Sounds like you guys have a keeper.”

Of all the things Dalton thought about, being the franchise guy was one of them. He had always wondered if he would be in the same vein as the Ben Roethlisberger’s and Eli Manning’s of the world, staying with one organization for his entire career and receiving awards for his work.

It seemed like Joe Burrow was definitely shaping up to be one. 

Dalton supposed that once upon a time, he would have been considered a “franchise quarterback.”

Once upon a time was five years ago.

He couldn’t focus much on that though, as the sound of his friend interrupted his inner thoughts.

“I think he is too. I just hope that it doesn’t change him.”

“Well, Carson came back from it alright, didn’t he? And that was 15 years ago, modern medicine is much better.”

“It is. Though that hasn’t stopped me from being rusty. Boyd says I’ve lost a step.”

Dalton smiled at the thought. Then he said, “Oh, Tyler. I haven’t talked to him in a while, how’re he and the rest of the team?”

“Boyd’s taken to Joe like a duck takes to water. Loves him. Would fight anyone who hurts Joe.”

Dalton chuckled. “Sounds like a true teammate.”

“Everyone’s been alright. Mixon got injured, so Gio’s had to start a few games as of late.”

“I heard. Foot injury, wasn’t it?”

“Unfortunately. Hopefully, he and Joe can come back strong.”

“Must be interesting, QB and RB both named Joe.”

“It’s funny. Well, the team’s been fine, I just don’t know if I fit anymore. After ‘Los got traded, I’m not really sure if I’ll be a Bengal after this year.”

“What?”

“I don’t know if I’ll be on this team.”

“I-” Dalton was nearly speechless for a few long moments. “Sorry, I just… we wanted to be Bengals for life, and I guess it’s a bit selfish of me to hope that since I’m not on the team anymore that… you could stay for me.”

Green sighed. “I get what you mean. But the way this team is trending, I don’t think I belong. They want to be young.”

“Young teams can always use a trustworthy veteran.”

“That’s true. Still, it feels like I might not be around Cincy for much longer.”

“Wouldn’t it be funny if we ended up on the same team again?”

“I’m definitely not going to be Dallas,” Green noted wryly. “Everyone there is pretty good. Cooper, Gallup, Lamb- by the way, that catch was incredible.”

“Haha, yeah, I think I messed up on that throw. Good thing he caught it, hopefully, the next few passes aren’t that difficult.”

“It’s moments like those that define a wide receiver. He’ll be a stud.”

-.-

It was a few days before the game against the Bengals, and media press conferences were going on.

Dalton knew there would be a lot of questions about his former team. He tried not to think too much about it, but eventually, the memories of the past came back to Cincinnati.

“Every time you have the opportunity to compete, you want to win and all of that,” he said. “This one happens to be against a former team, a team that I played for a long time. It’s going to be a little different to be on the other sideline, be in the other locker room, all that kind of stuff. But preparation is the same and you’re going about it the same way, trying to do everything you can to win.”

In reality, the quarterback did think about his time with the Bengals and all the good and bad that came with it. While his heart was more into the charity work his foundation did, football did have an important precedent.

“Are you nervous?” Amari Cooper asked on the plane ride.

“I’m not sure,” the quarterback admitted. “It’s been less than a year since I’ve been in Cincinnati. It will be familiar to me, but I’m just on the opposite side of the locker room now.”

“Huh,” Cooper replied. “I guess that is a thing. I didn’t really stay in Oakland all that long, I don’t know if I really miss it.”

“Cincinnati was a nice place. Then again, I was there for most of my career, so during that time you always find the beauty in the places you live.”

“I see. I hope this game goes well for you.”

-.-

Gameday came, and Dalton was on the field for some pregame warmups. He saw A.J., masked up, and decided to talk to his old friend.

“Hey, long time no see, A.J.,” Dalton said, walking up to Green.

“You too, Andy. Funny seeing you in a Cowboys jacket.”

The quarterback laughed off the response. “And you’re still the same. How’s Joe?” 

“Doing well. Not here though.” 

“Ah that’s a shame, I wanted to meet him.”

“I think you two would get along well,” Green mused. “I’ve said he has a certain edge to him, but he’s a lot like you.”

“Really? In what sense?”

“He never hesitates to ask people for help. He’s friendly, like you, and also even-keeled. It’d just… Joe has an air of calmness on the field that not many rookies have. It’s almost uncanny.”

“That’s good to hear.” Dalton extended his hand. “Good luck to both of us.”

-.-

As the Cowboys ran out from the other side of the stadium, Dalton could hear the announcers call out his name. For the first time, his name was said as part of an opposing team, and it felt a bit strange. He was so used to the other locker room, the camaraderie with his teammates, and the fans at Paul Brown Stadium being on his side.

Not that Dallas was bad, but Dalton definitely wasn’t quite as familiar with his teammates as he was in Cincinnati.

There was a bit of disappointment when he heard that Joe Burrow was out. Dalton had wanted to play against his successor, to see what he was like. 

_I know he’s good though,_ Dalton thought. _Probably better than me._

To Dalton, it would have been a fun face-off. But since the rookie was injured, he was going against someone else.

_Brandon Allen… where have I heard that name?_

Dalton was a bit surprised at first hearing that Brandon Allen would be the starter for the Bengals, expecting Finley to take the reins. But then again, he supposed, maybe they thought Finley wasn’t ready.

_Oh well, it would have been poetic to play against Ryan._

He watched on the sideline as the Bengals began their snap. Allen handed the ball to Gio, and then… Gio fumbled.

Dalton had to blink to make sure he saw that correctly. It had been years since he last remembered Bernard fumbling the ball. 

That was when he knew this would be a bizarre game.

In all honesty, Dalton had expected a hard-fought battle between the two struggling teams. Dallas had a league-worst defense, and Cincinnati, while their defense was not as bad, had significantly dipped offensively when Joe Burrow got injured.

However, Dalton’s old team kept on making mistakes that even Dallas’s defense could capitalize on. It was almost astounding, but then Dalton remembered that the Bengals were rebuilding and without their starting quarterback, so there would be bumps on the road. It got worse when Allen was reduced to hobbling on a leg and replaced by Finley. The defense could capitalize even more.

 _Sheesh_ , Dalton thought in mild horror. _Why do they let them play behind that line?_

There was a pang of empathy in his chest seeing Allen limp off the field. Dalton was fortunate to not have been around during the worst of it, but he was familiar with the feeling.

He didn’t have to do too much. Make some passes, let his wide receivers do their thing, and not get sacked. It was a fairly stress-free game, all things considered. 

Dalton looked up in the stadium after a touchdown pass to Pollard and saw his wife, looking out from a booth. Smiling, he gave her a quick hand gesture and she did the same.

Postgame was a lot of handshakes. Seeing his old teammates brought a smile to Dalton’s face. Times were difficult, but at least he could play the sport he loved and talk to teammates he had spent years with.

“Good game!” A.J. said eagerly as he sprinted up to his former quarterback. “You did pretty well!”

“What, did you think I was gonna throw a pick?” Dalton asked jokingly. “So did you, that was a good catch.”

“Yeah…” Green trailed off with a sad smile. “It’s been a while since I caught a touchdown.”

“How long exactly?”

“This is my second of the season.”

There was an awkward silence between the two old friends amidst the bustle of postgame interactions.

“I might follow your lead, Andy. Find my own way.”

“Please. Don’t. Can you at least promise you’ll stay one more season for the touchdown record?”

“I mean, that’s something I might pass this year,” Green replied, though there was palpable doubt in his voice. “I haven’t been good this year, maybe a change of scenery is what’s best for me.”

“Well, regardless of what you decide…” his old friend slowly exhaled. “I hope you choose what’s best for you.”

Dalton patted Green on the back and firmly shook his hand, and they walked away.  
  
In that sense, it was done. He left his longtime team, he had his revenge game in the stadium of his former team and won. Dalton felt a sense of completion doing that.

It sounded better in his head than what had actually happened, admittedly. If the season were normal, Dalton would’ve just watched Dak Prescott play against Joe Burrow. However, freak injuries happened, and the game was the result of that.

Dalton did wish things were different, but that was all in the past. He could move on.

-.-

Joe Burrow sat in a Los Angeles apartment. Rehab had been going well for him; despite all the torn ligaments in his leg, his recovery process was ahead of schedule, and even though there was some pain initially, it felt better than when he had torn the ACL and MCL against Washington. He had even turned 24, spending his birthday in his apartment 

_Another year spent not playing a full season in the NFL,_ he thought. _Time is ticking._

However, he wasn’t in a rush to go out and play. Joe wanted to, but at the same time knew that rushing the recovery could end in disaster.

He was able to tune in to games in the midst of watching game film and noting strategies. Mostly, Burrow watched the Bengals, who were usually on at 10 am where he was staying, meaning he could wake up and watch.

They were struggling, he had to admit. 

_Well,_ Burrow thought wryly. _It’s not like we weren’t struggling when I was playing._

But unsurprisingly, the Bengals had done even worse when he was out. The offense, which was likely the best part of the team, had practically sputtered to a standstill, barely gaining ground. It almost hurt Joe to watch, seeing play after play drag by in such a slog.

Nevertheless, he did his best to watch and support his team.

Today, Joe was particularly intrigued. The Bengals were playing against the Dallas Cowboys, and Andy Dalton, the former Bengals quarterback, was starting for the Cowboys. 

Joe recalled the letter he had received from Dalton. He could remember a sense of regret, but that ultimately moving on was the best choice. It didn’t mention anything about a future face-off, so either Dalton didn’t think much of it, or the schedule was released after he wrote the letter.

Pregame was showing on the screen, and it showed the red-haired quarterback walking up to his former team. He stood next to A.J., socially distanced, and there seemed to be a moment of connection between the two. 

Joe’s first thought was that in the cloudy lighting of Paul Brown Stadium, Dalton’s red hair didn’t quite have the same vividness… which led to his second thought that the formal Bengal looked… old.

It was a fleeting thought, but it sure seemed like nine whole seasons of football had changed Dalton a bit. For a second, Joe looked at himself a bit self-consciously, seeing if he was going to age anytime soon.

It seemed like a quiet moment between two old friends, reunited after not having seen each other. Joe wondered if that would be him one day. In a way, he envied their friendship, seeing them so close.

 _It’s probably too early to think about that though,_ Joe thought begrudgingly.

So he decided to watch the television screen. Joe noticed that there were signs in the stadium being waved as the announcer mentioned Dalton in the introductions, and smiled a bit at that.

The game was full of mistakes. Mostly on the Bengals side of things. A buttfumble had made him reconsider watching the game, but he decided to power through for his teammates. 

It wasn’t fun though. If not for the buttfumble, the Bengals at the very least would’ve been tied with the Cowboys in the first quarter, but the turnover led to a fumble return for a touchdown. Joe wasn’t much of a drinker but was strongly considering opening a bottle. Also, the broadcast kept showing Dalton’s wife, who was a pretty lady, but Joe was fairly certain that they mentioned her not wanting to be filmed, so he was… uncomfortable, to say the least.

For the most part, Joe just felt bad for Brandon Allen. He had conversed with Allen after the leg injury, mostly wishing him well.

Seeing him limp around on the field, however, just made Burrow uncomfortable. 

_I get the feeling something’s gonna happen,_ Joe thought, the sinking feeling in his chest getting deeper and deeper.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Allen was replaced with Finley, and Joe let out a sigh of relief.

He hoped the injury wasn’t too serious, though knowing the luck his team went through, Burrow wasn’t so optimistic.

The game was a drag, though Burrow was a bit happy for Dalton having this chance. In a sense, the former Bengals quarterback could have closure playing against his longtime team. Joe even smiled a bit at the exchange between Dalton and his wife.

It was bittersweet. His team lost, but at the same time, Burrow could see what the game meant for Dalton, and that made him feel better. 

It did show that the Bengals needed a lot of work. Which was something already well known, but the issues were further exposed. There were inconsistencies and horrible turnovers, things that could be fixed.

All Joe Burrow could do was hope.


End file.
